Karin's Story
by Mongoos3dog
Summary: This is the back story for a character that I will playing soon in a Mage: Tha ascension campaign. Two highschool friends meet up in a cafe. One has become a virtual adept. Karin will have her awakening as the story goes on.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Mage: The ascension

Karin held her coffee in both hands and stood staring out the glass double doors of the café. She had just arrived back in Vancouver. It was a cold night and she had no idea where she was going after she finished her coffee.

On her way to the café she had seen a man laying against a wall, frozen to death. Nobody noticed. She had felt relief for the man. He had ended his miserable existence.

Now he could be born into a better life, if such a thing was possible. She had said a prayer for him, crossed herself and moved on. She longed for such a release. Yet she was strong and healthy and she knew that it would be better for the world if she lived on.

There was a familiar face in the window. At first she had thought it was just in her head. It was Cole, pair of bright blue eyes, head full of brown, curly hair and a small pink smile. His eyes brightened when he say her.

Karin stepped out of the way of the door and the man walked into the café.

They hugged and her eyes filled with tears for a moment.

"Cole."

He stood in front of her, seemingly stunned, for a few minutes.

"You're back? I thought that you were dead."

Karin took a long, deep breath and gestured towards a table.

"Sit with me."

They made their way towards a table and sat, not taking their eyes off of each other.

"So, let me guess, you do something brilliant with computers and other such technomanc…olgy for a living and are exceptionally well paid."

Cole chuckled, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.

"Sure. What are you up to these days?"

"I just got back into town."

Cole sighed and inclined his head.

"So, are you married?"

Karin frowned.

"No. Um, I haven't dated since…um, I haven't ever dated. I can barely maintain a friendship, never mind a relationship. You know me."

Cole shook his head.

"I never have. You spend five years doing everything that you can to show up Silvia and when you finally win my heart you leave town."

There was a moment of awkward silence. Cole's cheeks turned pink.

"I'm not a very good person Cole."

He smiled sadly.

"Are you and Silvia still together?"

"We broke up the night that you left. Where are you staying?"

Karin shrugged.

"No where yet. I was going to get a hostel room and stay there. I'm going to be looking for work soon."

"I missed you. How long will you be in town for?"

Karin took a deep breath.

"Until the end of the world."


	2. Chapter 2

"The end of the world?"

Cole grinned.

"Yeah. Have you noticed?"

Cole frowned.

"I'm not a good person either. I would have had to let you down gently and told you to stay away from me for you own good but you beat me the the chase. Then you left."

Karin smiled.

"I've missed you."

Cole stood.

"Would you like help finding a hostel room that isn't full of black mold and spiders?"

Karin nodded and reached out her hand. He helped her to her feet.

They both started to speak at the same time.

"Coincidence."

They laughed. Cole ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's strange isn't it?"

"Meeting up like this? There was a time when it would have been."

"If you wouldn't be too uncomfortable with the idea, you can stay with me."

They stopped in the café doorway.

"That would be easiest for me, if you don't mind. I won't stay for long."

Cole opened the door for Karin and she stepped through, holding the door open for him on the other side.

"Well, if you're staying with me I can drive you to my place."

Karin looked out on the dark, empty street and sighed. Cole placed a hand gently on her arm.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm feeling on edge right now."

Cole nodded.

"I think I know what you mean. Let's get inside the car, where it's warm and dry."

The sun was mild and the rain light as they made their way towards his car. He opened the passenger side door of his red VW for her and she slipped in.

"Have you always been such a gentleman?"

Cole laughed and closed the door behind her.

"You never noticed?" he asked sitting down in the front seat.

"No. There's a lot that I didn't notice."

The drive was nice. The radio was playing some jazzy instrumental songs. They both sat in silence until they reached the house. Cole parked the car and turned towards Karin.

"There's something that I need to tell you."


	3. Chapter 3

Cole's living room was clean without being in the least bit shiny. There was nothing on the walls. There was no furniture in the room. To the left of the front door there was a large table covered in all sort of strange instruments. There was a calculator with strange symbols on the buttons and wires popping out right, left and center. There were coffee filters painted red and covered in aluminum foil. There were also boxes labeled with a variety of different faces, drawn in black, smelly marker. Karin found herself wandering toward the table before she thought to stop herself.

"Those are my weapons," Cole said, placing a hand briefly on the small of Karin's back, "my technology."

Karin smiled. She brushed a slightly oily strand of dark brown hair behind her ear and stepped forward, out of Cole's reach.

"I don't understand them."

"They are only meant to make sense to me. You see, some people keep guns in their homes. Anyone can use a gun. These weapons only I can work."

Karin nodded.

"I think I get it. But do they work?"

Cole took Karin by the elbow. She tensed but let him lead her into the kitchen. The kitchen was slightly more furnished. There was a dark wood table and there were four, fold up, wooden chairs. They both sat facing each other.

"That's what I was going to tell you about. I don't work with computers. I haven't worked with that kind of technology for a long while. You see, I've tapped into something amazing. Reality."

Karin burst out laughing.

"Congratulations. What are you going on about?"

"I hack reality. If you would not mind, I will give you a demonstration. All right, close your eyes. I am going to connect our minds."

Karin frowned and hesitated.

"If you so as move an inch in my direction while my eyes are closed, I'll pull out my knife and cut off you balls."

When he didn't say anything Karin sighed and closed her eyes.

Cole pulled out a coin and began to spin it on the table, as he tapped out a beat on his legs. Karin could feel her focus turning inward. She found herself more aware of her thoughts.

"Can you feel it?"

She could hear his voice in her head. She opened her mouth to speak.

"You can just think and I'll hear you."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Karin opened her eyes. Cole was watching her, intensity in his gaze.

His mouth didn't move but she could hear him.

"This is magic."

Karin jumped up from the chair.

Cole stood and calmly walked towards her.

"I will extend an invitation to you. Tonight myself and few members of my cabal will be going out on an adventure."

Karin walked over to the table and stopped the coin from spinning.

"It's not as easy as that to break the link. There is still something that I want to show to you. I want to show you, in your mind, what happened to me the week before you left."

'Then we go on an adventure?"

There was fear and disbelief in her voice.


End file.
